25 Awesome tips you can learn from Mark Hayward

1. Don’t come across as boring.

Mark wrote about this further in his post about being a good guest poster

Get creative, whatever methods you use to create good content make sure you employ them and deliver a home run post. You only have one chance to impress the readers of someone else’s blog. Readers are often very picky, stuff it up, and you probably won’t get another chance to post at that blog again.

In my early guest blogging efforts, I came across as boring because I tried to sound authoritative. Now, I just use my own blogging voice and I get a lot more interest in the comment section and on social media.

2. Like it or not, blogging is public speaking

Mark talked about this further in a post on North by East

That’s correct, every time you publish a post you are speaking to the global public via the internet. The number of people in the world with online access is certainly a much larger audience than any of us will ever have the pleasure of standing in front of, so it is pretty amazing.

I love this idea - especially since I am so bad at public speaking. It has given me a voice and allowed me to reach so many people I love it.

3. Post relevant, well tagged, pictures to FLICKR on a daily basis.

Mark expanded on this on his Problogger post about creating a social media footprint

That way when people are searching for a photo that is relevant to your niche, you will always be on top of the search results (if they sort by date). Sounds strange, but this part of my routine helped me to land a full page write-up on my business in the international publication, Islands magazine. Note: there are groups and all kinds of manner to get fully (socially) involved on FLICKR, but my plan did not include that much participation.

This isn't relevant for all niches, but can really help with travel and fashion niches. I still try to update images from my bushwalks constantly and intend to use those in my online articles.

4. Educate the consumer

Mark included this as one of ten tips for bloggng your way to small business success

When starting a blog that revolves around your small business the general tendency is to want to publish a bunch of SPAM posts that extol your virtues. While it is okay to do this once and a while, I have found that educating the consumer works tremendously well and is highly effective. Also, please remember that there is a big difference between using your business blog to tell your story (How you came to own the business, defining your passion, etc.) and just telling people to buy your product or service because you are the best.

This is what has helped me the most. In all of my posts, I've tried to help the person as much as possible. When I recommend products, I try to educate them on how it can actually help them. It is something I intend to do when I start staff blogging.

5. Utilize community influencers

Mark wrote about this another Problogger guest post

Have well regarded ‘trust agents’ within the various communities help to get your story out. We were fortunate to have StumbleUpon power user theNanny612 submit our site to SU. Likewise, Chris Brogan was kind enough to ‘tweet’ the launch announcement on Twitter. If you follow this ‘trust agent’ strategy, I don’t think emailing them out of the blue (if you have never interacted before) and asking for a tweet or stumble works very well. Spend the time and get to know people before you ask for a favor. Actually, it is probably best to follow Jeff Pulver’s social media model of giving 95% of the time and asking for assistance 5% of the time.

6.  Be approachable

Mark included this as one of his tips to generate income as a blogger

If you expect site visitors to spend money or click on ads then be approachable. If you reply to a readers query about an ad on your site not only will you establish a personal connection with them, additionally, for the skeptics out there it can help to create trust in you.

I love certain bloggers because they are so approachable. It does create the trust and, once I no

7. Help journalists

This was one of the ideas Mark gave to Help Promote Your Small Business Today

Register for Help A Reporter Out (HARO), read through the notices, and reply to all inquiries that are related to your business.

I studied journalism and I completely agree to this. You can also hunt for journalists on twitter or form connections with the

8. Provide constructive input and then give a well-structured plan for improvement.

Mark discussed this in his post Ideas for Social Media Types (from a Small Business Owner)

For any small business that wants to have a comprehensive online strategy, it all starts with the website. With all of the CMS options these days, I am sure it seems crazy to those of you who spend a good portion of your day online, but there are many small business owners who don’t get beyond a website that looks as though it was developed in the 90’s. A clear and concise explanation of SEO is always appreciated too.

I am very appreciative for this post, especially since I was the one that inspired it. I recommend reading the rest of the post if you want to work in social media.

9. Don't rely on twitter alone

Mark included this as one his must read beginner tips.

Twitter is only one area online where you can begin to build a distributed social media footprint for your business. Do NOT rely solely on Twitter as your social media business promotion tool.

So many people hear twitter as a buzzword and jump on it, expecting instant success. I've found that is so much more successful when you combine it with other forms of social media, as well as offline communication.

10  Write in a “human” voice

Mark wrote about this further in The Essential Non-Writer’s Guide to Writing

When I draft blog posts or even emails, I always try to imagine that I am having a conversation with someone and that I am trying to explain a concept or task in as “stripped down” a language as possible. (READ: I am not really trying to impress anyone, so I leave the fancy big words for the real writers.)

I try to do this too. It may mean using slang or repeating words like awesome, but it I've found people appreciate hearing my 'real' voice.

11. Use YouTube

Mark expanded on this in NO Cost (Six Step) Small Business Social Media & Online Marketing Plan

If pictures are good, then video is exponentially better. If you have a video camera then shoot some quality, well lit video and upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, or any of the other online services. The point is not to have your video go viral (which is great should it happen) but that it adds more depth and context to your story. (Further reading: YouTube for Your Business)

Like with images, Video doesn't apply in all situations. But it can add more depth and also entice those who prefer to digest their content in a different format.

12. Make People Feel Comfortable

Mark talked about this further on his guest post on Chris Brogan

Sounds counterintuitive, considering you are the shy one, but if you can make the people you are trying to network with comfortable then you will be more relaxed and settle down. I find this method can best be done with a joke or by starting a genuine conversation.

In closing, preparation is important, especially for people who are shy or reserved, but I also try to remember that some of my golden conference moments and connections have been made purely by happenstance, going with the flow, and letting things happen.

This is really interesting. I also try to research so I can start genuine conversations, but some of my best interactions have happened by accident. It often leads to lots of awesome opportunities offline.

13. Tell someone how much they impacted on you.

This was one of the tips Mark gave on how to get top bloggers to read your email.

Draft a well written, brief, and personal email about an article or post that the blogger has written which had an impact on you. Remember to be concise and to the point and I would not recommend going over one paragraph (or about four lines). Focus is the key here. As an example, a few months ago Leo Babauta, over at ZenHabits, drafted a post that really connected with my current situation so I wrote to him stating something to that effect. The most important part of this tip, when I sent the email I was not looking for anything in return! I just wanted to send an honest compliment about his website and the value it is providing to the readers. Within a few hours Leo sent back a very kind email and in the interim I had noticed on his blog that he was looking for post submissions from his readers. The end result, because we had an initial, positive contact when I submitted my guest post draft to him he actually read it instead of placing it in the bin. My guest post was on his site a week later.

I try to tell people that they've helped me wherever possible. I do this because I want them to know, and want them to continue to do so.

14. Give someone a chance

Mark included this as one of ten ways to let people know they matter

I know it is a big step but if you know of an individual, or even have an acquaintance, that has been trying to become your friend, or get to know you better, then go ahead and give them a chance. You never know, they might become your best friend.

There are a number of people who went out of their way to give me a chance. I appreciate it so much and rave about them wherever possible. Two people in particular let me know that I mattered and I will always be thankful.

15. Teach people

Mark talked about this interview on Net Squared

Hands down, from my experience, people respond best to tweets (and countless retweets from friends) directing them to blog posts that are going to teach them something. Seth Godin emailed me some priceless information a while ago and he essentially told me:

Don't tell people what you are about or try to jam it into them...teach them something about you, your organization, or what you have learned.

In that way you can provide value while still trying to gain Train for Humanity evangelists, sponsors, and participant athletes.

I've had some success with this. Rather than talk about how I did something, I try to explain how they can apply it to their own situation. This has helped my posts get a lot more publicity.

16 Focus on customer service

Mark shared this tip in Measuring Social Media ROI: Does size matter?

My business generally succeeds or fails based on customer service. I (we actually) have made the conscious decision to be the best host and customer service person I can be. Don’t believe me? (Read this.) Social media or not, if I suck, chances are I would go out of business. The same probably goes for your business.

I find it amusing that people will spending thousands on a social media strategy while still having poor customer service. You will probably get extra clients and buyers, but you may not be able to keep them.

17. Do posts profiling your guest posts

On his blog, Mark will do a separate post talking about his latest guest post. An example is 10 Tips for Blogging Your Way to Small Business Success. This is something that I intend to use for my own blogs and is a great way to have a permanent reminder of your previous work.

18. Make yourself uncomfortable

Mark said that:

Sometimes the path of least resistance, in this case a LACK of action seems like the easy way out. It’s not!

Perhaps you want to launch a new website, start a small business, or move overseas.  Forget about failure and feeling like and idiot. Get off your ass and get out there today and make yourself uncomfortable by letting someone in on what you would like to be doing or pursuing.

Going to meetups and launching a blog made me feel extremely uncomfortable. It made me physically sick during the earlier days but it has helped me so much and given me more confidence in what I'm doing.

19.  Be human

'Be human' was the sole advice given in The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Success. Its the best advice anyone can give. People prefer to connect with real people, as opposed to a brand, and like getting to know them. Simply being human will get you a lot further than focusing on statistics and ROI.

20. Don’t listen to them.

Mark discussed this further in Don’t Let Anybody Tell You That You Can’t

In fact turn around and head in the opposite direction. There are people out there who believe in you. Who want you to succeed and can even help you to get started.

We all have self-doubt to contend with so adding negative people into the mix can stop you, or worse, they can add to your frustration and cause you to give up in anger.

I had so many people tell me that blogging and twitter was a waste of time. Now, after seeing the successes I've had, they are coming to me for advice. Its important to acknowledge that most people are trying to help, and apply any relevant information to your situation.

21. Tell Somebody About Your Plans or Objective

Mark invluded this as one of five tips to help you escape the cubicle

Slightly more intimidating than writing out your intentions, telling someone about your plans can be difficult. What if they laugh at you, or tell you you’re fricken insane? Not everybody believes that you can actually leave a cube (or any job you don’t like) and pursue your passion. Find someone who you trust and is supportive and tell them what you would like to be doing.

This appears to contradict the previous lessons, but its simply a matter of finding the right support group. I've told a lot of my twitter friends about my plans and they have offered their support and encouraged me when I needed it. It has made this so much easier.

22. Expect criticism

This was one of the tips Mark learned during his first year of blogging.

Expect it from your customers, clients, and competition. If you expect criticism then dealing with it head on becomes much easier and you can move on quickly.

It was tough during my early months of blogging. I didn't expect criticism and it really hurt me. Now, I know its part of the industry and have steps in place to handle it.

23. Create a true sense of community.

Mark talked about this further in his post about creating organic traffic growth.

I believe this is more difficult than it sounds but if you can establish a positive flow of dialogue between your readers then traffic is sure to grow.

I agree with this. The best thing about social media is that the positive flow can then extend to other sites. It is something I'll be focusing on and reporting back.

24. Using visualization as a tool for achieving successful plan

Mark expanded on this in Is That a Plan for 2008 In Your Pocket or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

Whether I am looking to make a life change (like escaping the cubicle ), improve my blog, or even lose some weight I believe that I have more success if I concentrate my energy on visualizing the steps that are required to see my plans through to fruition.

As opposed to the standard recommendation of writing down every minute detail. Specifically, I find if I can navigate the plan visually in my mind then I don’t necessarily need to have all of the steps to success written down, which can also lead to great flexibility.

I have been doing this during the entire launch cycle. I know exactly what my blog will look like at the end of the year, and have been putting all the steps into place to achieve this. It has made things a lot easier.

25. Do research

This was one of the tips Mark included in First Steps Toward Personal Freedom - Removing Yourself From A Negative Situation

Talk to people and network with folks who are doing what you want to be doing. If you want to move overseas get in contact with people who have actually done it. Or, if you want to be an entrepreneur join a networking group and soak in as much information and enthusiasm as possible. It will help you to maintain your motivation when times get tough and you want to give up.

This is what I've been doing. I do background research before going to meetups and ask questions that, indirectly, pertain to my situation. I do interviews and ask the questions that I want to hear. Doing research has helped me accelerate a lot quicker.